1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and a method for designing a product. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and a method capable of performing product design based on a result of structural analysis of a product.
2. Description of the Related Art
In vehicle designing, CAD has widely been used for design and manufacture, structural design, structural analysis, and other uses. FIG. 1 shows a conventional vehicle design process. First, CAD data of an initial design as a basis is entered (S10). Based on this initial design, product design of each component is performed to generate CAD data for product design (S20). Then, by using the CAD data for product design, structural analysis, productivity evaluation, and mold design are carried out (S30). The CAD data for product design is corrected by incorporating results of a structural analysis (S40). When correction is added to the initial design, and a design is finalized, CAD data of the final design is newly entered (S50). Based on this final design CAD data, as in the case of the initial design CAD data, CAD data for product design is generated (S60), and then structural analysis is carried out by using the CAD data for product design (S70). After correction of the CAD data for product design created by incorporating a result of evaluating the structural analysis (S80), a mold is prepared based on the obtained CAD data for product designing (S90).
In the foregoing case, the initial design was corrected once to obtain the final design. In the case of repeated corrections added in a process from an initial design to a final design, however, generation of CAD data for product designing and structural analysis, and correction of the CAD data for product design based on the structural analysis are sequentially carried out each time.
Conventionally, product evaluation by structural analysis based on design CAD data has been repeatedly carried out for each correction of the design CAD data. Each addition of correction to the design has required time for structural analysis. This prolongs the vehicle design process and increases costs.
The present invention was made to solve the above-described problem, and objects of the invention include providing a system and a method for product design, and a recording medium.